There’s something timeless about childhood summers — the carefree giggles echoing across verandahs filled with cousins, the thrill of climbing trees, and the unmistakable scent of freshly opened textbooks marking the end of vacation. Actor Sheel Verma, who currently charms audiences as Jaiveer (now seen as Bablu) in Shemaroo Umang’s Badi Haveli Ki Chhoti Thakurain, opened up about his own treasured memories from those golden years—and it’s the kind of nostalgia that instantly warms the heart.
Sheel recalled, “I still remember playing cricket during summer vacations. We’d play until sunset, and even then, it was hard to stop. My mother would often have to call me multiple times before I finally dragged myself home, dusty and happy. Me and my cousins would explore hidden nooks and crannies in the neighborhood, climb trees, and invent our own games. Amidst all this fun, I would usually start doing my vacation homework only when the summer break was about to end.”
But summer wasn’t just about having fun. It also marked the gentle build-up to a new academic year, a ritual in itself. “As soon as June arrived, there was a different excitement in the air,” he recalled. “I used to go shopping with my father to buy a new tiffin box, school uniform and books, raincoat, and the rainy footwear.”
Even though the end of the holidays brought a tinge of sadness, the joy of returning to school—meeting friends, sharing stories, greeting teachers, and showing off new stationery—was unmatched. “The simple act of walking to school with my friends in the rain, were truly the happiest moments. Even today, when I think of them, it brings a wide smile to my face,” Sheel said. “If I could go back and relive those days, I would, with all my heart.”
In the current track of the show, Sheel Verma’s entry as Bablu after Jaiveer’s death has created ripples in the haveli. Will Chaina be able to hide this truth from Chamkili or will it complicate her life even further?
Watch ‘Badi Haveli Ki Chhoti Thakurain’ every Monday to Saturday at 9:00 pm, only on Shemaroo Umang.